WHO THEY GONNA CALL? DON MOODY REPAIRMAN DOCTOR TO AILING APPLIANCES.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

CANYON COUNTRY- For almost a quarter-century, one man has fixed the appliances of Santa Clarita's elite and everyday citizens.

Customers consider him as skilled as a surgeon, and a generation of children have grown up with him. They often remember the good-natured visitor they played with and call him when their first refrigerator breaks down.

``I love meeting people and love to chit-chat,'' says Don Moody, whose oversize utility truck - emblazoned with his name, the American flag and the Marines' motto ``Semper Fi'' - works its way through the valley five days a week to rescue people from leaking washers, warm refrigerators and faulty ovens.

``I like to find out what's going on,'' said Moody. ``The main thing is taking care of their problem. If it makes them happy, it makes me happy.''

Moody, now 63, worked his way up the ranks of Sears until he was supervising 50 people. Figuring he could do just as well on his own, he and his wife, Chris, opened the appliance service in 1980 out of their Canyon Country home.

The night before, Chris maps out the route Don will take, complete with customers' names and phone numbers so he can keep them abreast of his progress.

``Everyone wants to have the first call of the day,'' he said. ``But we really have to do this geographically, so I'm not spending time backtracking.''

He prides himself on having the right variety of pieces and parts to complete 85 percent of his calls on the first trip out. A container on the dashboard holds a couple of other essentials: breath mints and a vial of liquid bandage.

``If I don't come home with at least a few cuts and scrapes, then Chris thinks I'm not working hard enough,'' he said, wiping a fresh wound on the back of his hand.

Moody also works on appliances for real estate agents; another call took him to a house lined in boxes where the refrigerator had stopped working.

``I grew up in town and always heard of Moody's,'' said Realtor Stephanie Danyluk, watching the repairman work. ``Using him is important; it's keeping mom-and-pop stores alive.''

``It's like Newhall Hardware,'' added fellow Realtor Pia Zirpel. ``It's such a neat place; it would be sad to see it go.''

Asked if he's ever been hurt on the job, Don nods knowingly. ``I fell off a roof and injured my back, but I've found stupidity is what creates most of my problems, like trying to move something I'm not man enough to move.'' He immediate apologizes for the reference, acknowledging that he was outnumbered 3-to-1 by women in the room.

Finished with the fan, Moody flipped a switch to turn the appliance on. When a cacophonous rattle came from the freezer compartment, a hush fell on the room, Moody's face turning serious as he listened intently before hustling out to the truck.

A moment later, he walked into the house with a new fan blade and a beaming smile. ``You're like the doctor of appliances,'' exclaimed Zirpel.

Moody acknowledges the burgeoning home improvement field, noting that some of his customers try to fix things themselves before calling him, which contributes to his job security.

``We've talked about retirement, but Chris won't let me,'' Moody says cheerfully. ``She's gotten used to the good life.''

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Appliance repair specialist Don Moody emerges from his van, which he drives around the valley, making repairs as well as friends.

(2) Moody gets a morning kiss from his wife and business associate Chris, before he heads out to make his daily rounds.

David Crane/Staff Photographer